The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-01-28

Though the honor Implied IN lie pro-
lection of the principal residence of the
sovereign is considerable. military duty
1t Windsor is not by any means Eeld in
high estimation by soldiers, that is to
say by those whose lot it is to perform
the ordinary functions of "sentry-go"
around the castle. In word. the duty
is hard This term. applied to peace
time soldering, means that the men
have few "nights in bed''-the critic
rion by which such service is invariably
Judged. AT some stations the rank and
file have us many as twenty of these
coveted consecutive nights in barracks:
but at Windsor the present writer has ut
times enjoyed the honor of passing every
third night on the exposed terraces of the
castle; and as the"Queen' Regulations"
lay particular stress on each soldier
having at least one might in bed be-
fore going on guard, it will be granted
that the Windsor duty is not unjustly
considered somewhat trying. Perhaps
y glimpse at the inner life of the Cas-
tle-guard may interest some readers.
The armed party, which consists of
some fifty soldiers. is under command
of an officer, assisted by two sergeants.
together with rs many corporals. and
it enters upon its twenty-four hours
tour of duty in the afternoon A
drummer-boy also mounts his chief
employment being to go messages and
fn na,.,,- tla 1,,,tar,, ,,snl =,
nocturnal rounds" When the guard
marches into the lower ward of the
castle. after having in its progress con-
siderably enlivened the quiet streets of
Windsor, the sold guard is formally
relieved, and the men not Immediately
required as sentinels take possession of
the guard-room-a large. compara-
lively modern building. in the vicinity
of the antique Curfew Tower. With
View. probably. 10 the preservation Of
discipline. the two sergeants are pro-
vided with a bunk a small portion
of the area of the apartment Partition
ed off. and fitted with a miniature
guarded. Here they often employ their
time in the making up of pay-lists. duty
rosters, and the like. On entering the
guardroom. the privates quickly divest
themselves of their valises and folded
greatcoats; for it is now admitted by
the authorities that a sentry may march
about quite steadily without being
constantly burdened with his kit. The
valises are suspended from rows of
pegs furnished for this purpose: and
what in fine weather might seem sur
priSing-the greatcoats set free from
their tightly-buckled straps. Ostensi-
bly,, the ''loose" coats are necessary to
spread ont on the guard-bed, so as to
slightly soften that uneasy couch, as
well as to prevent dust. which may
there have lodged, from adhering TO the |
tunics of recmbent guardsmen. But
the real reason for shaking out these
garments frequently is to allow them |
10 dry, because in many eases they have |
been literally sprinkled with water be- !
fore being buckled up, to insure more |
compact fold"
A stranger to things military, on sur
reptitiously CHANGING in at the guard
room door early in the day. and while
the sentry's back was turned, would
notice large number of white basins
drawn up Oh the tables and dressed
with extraordinary precision. These
vessels are placed in position for the
of the soup, which is served
shortly before midday, and they bring
us TO the important subject of the culin-
AIRY department. There are four cooks
with the castle guard. One
is corporal of the cooks;'' another is
standing Tor permanently cook: and
the remaining two are merely sent daily
On fatigue from the barracks. The
provisions are conveyed to the castle in
a harrow of peculiar construction and
deposited in the cook house-a place
not at all resembling a conventional
but both in situation and APP
pearance very like the dungeons one is
occasionally introduced to when visit
ing ancient strongholds. In this dismal
region are capacious ''coppers, " in any
one of which soup. beef. vegetables or
tea can be prepared. /
10 return, however, to the proceed
lngs of the members of the guard. 4
W hen they have satisfactorily arranged
their equipments and above all, thor
onShly repolished their boots, corpo-